Worker Suffers Arm Injury At Huddersfield Construction Site

Site Manager Fined Over Safety Failings

09.09.2011

A site manager from Oldham has been fined £3,000 and ordered to pay costs following a work accident in which a worker suffered a serious arm injury.

Matthew Saville pleaded guilty to breaching safety regulations over the incident in August 2009, when he told a 32-year-old worker to remove a 34kg diamond core drill from its stand and use it by hand to undertake a job at a former supermarket store site in Milnsbridge.

While using the drill, which came with instructions prohibiting handheld use, the man was spun around and suffered a double compound fracture to his arm and cuts to his head. The victim has been left with permanent damage following the incident and has plates inserted in his arm.

The HSE brought a prosecution against Mr Saville in relation to him failing to properly manage work on the construction site.

Stephen Nye, a Partner and specialist in workplace injury cases at Irwin Mitchell, said: “Construction is recognised as one of the more dangerous industry sectors, due to the nature of the work being done.

Health and Safety is of paramount importance to those working in this field and it is vital that employers, main contractors and site managers co-ordinate health and safety on site to ensure that all safety regulations are complied with and that a culture of health and safety awareness is adopted.

“This case, like many of those we are involved in, clearly demonstrates the problems of not focusing on safety in the workplace and how such failings can lead to wholly preventable accidents and serious long-term injuries.

“Lessons have to be learnt from incidents like this, if employers are going to improve their handling of safety in the workplace and stop serious accidents before they occur.”

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